I started working on the front brakes of my 70 coupe. I couldn't get the drum off without taking off the locking nut/cotter pin/etc.,. So the drum is off, but the wheel studs, inner bearings, are all still in the drum. How do I separate the drum itself from everything else? And it's ok to tell me I'm an idiot..... I can take it.
Thanks

Best/easiest is a press!
If you don't have one, many parts stores and tire shops have them. The tire shop down the street has let me use his a couple of times at no charge (but then I'm in there a lot!).

~Daniel

"No trees have been killed in the sending of this message,
but a large number of electrons have been inconvenienced."

AH HA! You must have an original 1970 FORD Drum!...You have run into the old ORIGINAL FORD DRUM/ORIGINAL FORD HUB Dillemma which is common.....That drum has probably never been off of the hub...most likely. Don't waste your time trying to get it off..You will possibly ruin the drum and the hub at the same time. You need to have it pressed off by a qualified automotive machine shop..Look in the yellow pages or ask around your local auto parts store. It only should cost like 10 bucks per hub... If you plan to re-use the drum, You must enlarge the lug holes by at least one to three sizes up..otherwise, you'll never get it back on... and you'll have the same problem with a new drum as well... or you could go the other route and just replace all 4 or 5 lugs in the hub... The drum route is easier...and cheaper too. You don't need to have your new drums "re-staked".. It's completely unnecessary and totally safe. If you really want, You can just use a "C" lug clip on one or two of the lugs to retain the drum on from there on out..but you really don't even need it...

Good luck...You'll get there...

I had the same problem on my '66 Convertible. It had the original drums, and the original hubs.. I went the drum method...I had the original drums pressed off of the hubs, and kept the original hubs, and then I bought new drums, and just enlarged the lug holes on both drums by three sizes up.. It did the trick... It was perfect. I chose too keep the original lugs.. The reasoning for enlarging the holes is that the original lugs were "staked" by Ford, and by doing this, The seat lips on the original lugs are now enlarged, so if you don't enlarge the lug holes on the drum, It will never fit flush again. You don't ever have to worry about alignment. The center hub hole takes care of all of that. Like I said, some people choose to put in all new lugs.. You can do it that way too..but I think that its a bit more work, than just enlarging a few holes..

If there is significant wear the brake pads are grooved into the drum. The drums are not gonna slide off. Just adjust the brake pads in so that they clear the groove in the drum and the drum should slide off. If it doesn't tapping it slightly around with a rubber hammer should do it.

I have actually seen brake pads seized to the drums from sitting so long. It usually takes some big screw driver prying to get them to come loose.

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